We are delighted to welcome Yi YANG, former COO of JustPod, co-creator of Left-Right (忽左忽右), and initiator of PodFest China, as well as Yebu JI, senior narrative producer formerly at StoryFM (故事FM) and co-founder of the Voice Exchange China–U.S. Podcast Forum (中美播客交流会) from NYU.

In this talk, they will share their experiences in content production across institutional and independent podcasting, and discuss how their careers position them as cultural brokers between Chinese- and English-speaking podcast worlds. The speakers will discuss their experiences building links with overseas podcast communities, how career opportunities and professional ecosystems differ across China and the U.S., and what they have learned about the skills and literacies needed for podcast creators in this talk.

This event builds on our earlier session with Bessie Lee (Sounding Out China: Advertising, Authenticity, and the Rise of Podcast Culture), which explored how podcasting intersects with media, branding, and cultural production in China. In collaboration with the HKBU School of Communication and NYU Journalism School, this upcoming talk with Yi YANG and Yebu JI extends the conversation toward cross-national and industry-level comparisons in the evolving podcast landscape, and warmly welcomes students, researchers, and anyone interested in podcasting and contemporary media cultures.

Speaker Biography

Yi YANG

Yi YANG is a podcast industry pioneer and media expert with over a decade of experience. 

Yang was the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of JustPod, China's premier podcast and digital audio company based in Shanghai. JustPod established the largest podcast network in China - 50 shows reaching more than over 50 million listeners and led collaborations with global brands. Yang co-created Left-Right (忽左忽右), a Mandarin-language cultural podcast that grew into one of China’s most widely listened-to shows and helped shape the country’s modern podcasting scene.

Dedicated to building a thriving podcast industry ecosystem, Yang founded PodFest China (中文播客大会), the country’s first podcast conference, creating a home for creators and audio professionals to connect and grow. He also brought NPR’s Podcast Start Up Guide to China and organized workshops with NPR producers to support hundreds of emerging Chinese podcasters.

Yang is also a cross-cultural storyteller whose work has been featured on This American Life and the BBC World Service, and a Chinese-language podcast he created, Initium Reports (端聞), earned the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) Award for Excellence in Audio Reporting.

Now based in London, Yang works as an independent audio producer and media strategist. He currently runs the Yang Yi’s Garden (杨一的花园) membership program - a blend of newsletter, podcast, and events - focused on media, mobility, and urban life. He also advises global media outlets, brands, and creators on how to craft stories that resonate across cultures.

Yebu JI

Yebu Ji is an audio journalist and narrative podcast producer with 7 years of experience across China and the United States, focused on character-driven reporting and sound-rich storytelling.

Yebu began her audio career in 2019 at StoryFM (故事FM), helping shape China’s early narrative podcast space. From 2019 to 2023, she worked as a full-time producer and editor, leading episode development, reporting, and publishing.

In 2024, Yebu graduated from the NYU Podcasting and Audio Reportage Master’s program as part of its first-ever cohort. She has been awarded an investigative fellowship after graduation, reporting independently in a fast-changing political climate. Her work consistently brings crucial Chinese context and journalist networks into international stories.

She co-organized the Voice Exchange China–U.S. Podcast Forum (中美播客交流会), a talk and workshop series inviting well-known American podcast producers to China to share their creative process and editorial craft. The aim is to expand storytellers’ understanding of narrative audio, exchange production experience, and help inspire the next generation of Chinese audio producers.

Yebu is now based in New York City, continuing her work in cross-cultural audio storytelling and global media collaboration.

Event Details

Date: 

• Sunday 07 December 2025, 10am-12pm HKT

Location: Hybrid

• In person: Room 9.29, 9/F., The Jockey Club Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU (REGISTER)

• Online via Zoom (REGISTER) (Zoom link will be sent at 9:00pm HKT on 06, December)

Language: Putonghua + English

Hosts:

• Vincent HUANG, Assistant Professor from the School of Communication, Hong Kong Baptist University

• Yinjia HE, PhD Student from the Department of Sociology, The University of Hong Kong

This talk is part of our upcoming GRF project, Chinese Podcasting Cultures: Communities, Apps and Economies. The event will be of particular interest to students and scholars of media, sociology, communication, and contemporary China.